Cotton-seed planter.



.Nn. 689,508. Pafented neel 24, lem.

s. T. MGKNIGHT.

OTTDN SEED PLANTER.

(Application led Aug. 23. 1901.1.,

(No Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet l.

Ill. I.

No. 689,508. Patented Dec. 24, 190|.

S. T. MGKNIGHT.

COTTON SEED PLANTER.

(Application Bled Aug. 23. `1901.) :un model.; -3 sheets-sheet 2.

ummi eTImQThS MQVHISHT;

No. 689,508. v Patented Dec. 24, l90l.

S. T. MGKNIGHT.

CUTTON SEED PLANTEB.

(Application ld Aug. 23, 1901.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

' (No Model.)

V JSfQmmTim-@vn M ETERS co. #Horny-4o.. v/Asnmamn. n. c.

UNITED. STATES PATENT lumen.

SQUIRE TIMOTHY MCKNIGIIT, OF MINGO, MISSOURI.

COTTON-SEED PLANTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 689,508, dated December24, 1901.

Application filed August 23, 1901. Serial No. 73,081. (No model-l Toa/ZZ whom it 11i/Lety concern.-

Be it known that I, SQUIRE TIMOTHY Mc- KNIGHT, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at and whose post-office address is Mingo, in thecounty of Stoddard and State of Missouri, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Cotton-Seed Planters, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to improvements in cotton-seed planters; and theobject is to provide a mechanism to accomplish the purpose which issimple in construction and efficient and reliable in operation.

The invention consists in the novel construction of parts and theiroperative combination or aggroupment, as will be hereinafter fullyspecified and particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed.

I have fully and clearly illustrated the invention in the accompanyingdrawings, form- -ing a part of this specification, and wherein- Figure 1is a side view of my improved cotton-seed planter. Fig. 2 is a plan viewthereof. Fig. 3 is a vertical central longitudinal section through theseed-hopper, showing the feed-screw and the stirrer. Fig. 4 is a detail.View of the stirrer-frame and stirrers removed from the hopper. Fig. 5is a rear view in elevation, showing the seed-conductor and thecoverers.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the frame on which the operatingmechanism is mounted. This frame may be of any suitable constructionapplicable to serve the pur-` pose. I have illustrated it as consistingof substantial parallel side rails 1 2, connected by a cross-piece 3 andprovided with a fioor 4, on which the seed-hopper is mounted andsupported. At the front end of the frame is journaled an axle 6, vonwhich is mounted a wheel 7 adapted to travel in or mark the furrow orrow in which the seeds are deposited. To serve the purpose with morecertainty, the side faces of this wheel may be tapered adjacent to theperimeter, as indicated in the drawings, which will permit the wheel tomake a deeper furrow than if broader on its circumferential edge. Thewheel 7 has formed on or secured to one of its faces three circular rowsof gears 8, 9, and 10, arranged concentric to the axle of the wheel andto each other, in order that by the adjustment of the pinion or gear onthe seed-shaft the speed of the shaft may be made greater or less.Secured to and projecting inward from one of the side rails of the frameare two arms 11 12, provided with bearings 13 14; at their inner ends,in which is journaled a shaft 15, so mounted as to be restrained againstendwise displacement. The body of the shaft 15 is made angular and hasadjnstably mounted thereon a pinion or gear wheel 16, adjustable alongthe shaft, so as to bring it in engagement with a selected face-gear onthe wheel 7, as heretofore specified. On the floor of the frame ismounted a seed-hopper 17, having inwardly-inclined sides and verticalends, and in the bottom is formed a longitudinallyarranged recess 18,circular in cross-section, and constitutes a passage in which the seedworm or screw rotates, and at the rear end of this passage is theseed-opening 19, which opens into the seed-spout 20,which feeds theseeds to the ground. Fixed to the bottom of the floor, adjacent to thefront end thereof, is a furrow-opener 21, which is curved backward, asshown, and has its lower end-secured to the lower end of the seed-spout20, serving not only as a furrow-opener, but also acting as a clearer toremove obstacles from the path of the spout. In the bottom of the hopperis journaled a screw 22, having the pitch of the screw made to carry theseed into the mouth of the seed-spout. The depth of thread of this screwis such that it carries the requisite supply of seeds reg nlarly intothe seed-spout. Secured across the frame immediately adjacent to thefront end of the hopper is a bar 23, in which is formed a bearing 24,wherein the front of the screw-shaft is journaled. This shaft extends aproper distance forward and carries n its end the sliding member 25 of aclutch, the other member 26 of the clutch being mounted on the inner endof the shaft The clutch is thrown into and out of engagement by means ofa clutch-lever 27, journaled on the frame and engaging in an annularwayin the sliding member of the clutch. This clutch-lever is providedwith a crankarm 2S, which locks behind a keeper 29, substantially asindicated.

v On the screw-shaft is mounted an eccentric 30, provided with a strap3l, which is eX- tended vertically, as at 32, forming an arm IOO havingan aperture for the crank-arm of the agitating-frame in the hopper.

In the hopper is journaled a rectangular frame 33, having a crank-arm34, extending outside ot' the end of the hopper and pivotally engagingin the aperture in the upper end ofthe eccentric-arm On the side bars ofthe frame 33 are hung a plurality of depending seed-stirrers 35, whichreach down into the seeds in the hopper and by their action keep themfrom becoming -packed and always in condition to be fed to the action ofthe screw. This agitation is effected through the medium of theeccentric-arm, which imparts to the framein the hopper a rocking motion.Y

To the front end of the frame is secured the draw-bar 3G, to which theanimal is hitched to pull the machine.

The machine is provided with handles 37 at the rear, and covering-blades3S are suitbly secured to the rear of the frame and arranged to covert'ne seeds in the furrow in a well-known manner.

The operation of the machine is as follows:

' The machine havingr been supplied with seed and the clutch thrown'into engagement, then when the machine is pnt into motion the frontwheel marks and opens the furrow, the

, screw feeds the seeds to the seed-spout, which delivers them to thefurrow', and coveringblades cover them With soil. In the progress of themachine the agitators in the hopper keep the seeds loose and free forthe action of the screw.

What I claim is- 1. In a cotton-seed planter, the combination with aseed-hopper, ot a seed-feeder rotatably mounted in the bottom of thehopper having its shaft extended frontward outside the hopper, aneccentric mounted on the shaft, a strap on the eccentric having avertically-extending arm, a seed-agitator pivotally mounted in thehopper, and provided with a crank-arm connected to the arm of theeccentric-strap.

2. A cotton-seed planter, 'comprising a Wheeled supportingframe, ahopper mounted lengthwise of the frame and formed with a recess circularin cross-section, in its bottom having a seed-discharge opening at oneend, a seed-spout into which the said opening leads, a seed-feedingscrew in the recess in the bottom of the hopper, a shaft extendingfrontward from lthe screw, a pinion on the shaft, a furrow-Wheel havinga circular gear on its face to engage the said pinion, an eccentric onthe shaft, a strap on the eccentric having an arm, a frame pi votallymounted in the hopper and connected to arm of the eccentric-strap, andagitatorlingers secured tothe frame in the hopper, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence ot'two witnesses.

SQUIRE TIMOTHY MCKNIGHT.

fitnessesz R. J. RAMSY, T. D. MELTON.

